In the film *Notting Hill* (1999), audience perception is split between a "fairy-tale" rooting for the central romance and a modern, more critical retrospective of the characters’ personal flaws. While the film is a beloved romantic comedy, certain actions by the leads cause audiences to oscillate between sympathy and frustration.
### **Characters the Audience Roots For**
#### **1. William Thacker (Hugh Grant)**
The audience primarily roots for William because he represents the "everyman" or the "underdog." He is a humble, slightly bumbling travel bookstore owner whose life is quiet and unremarkable until he meets a superstar.
* **Why we root for him:** His awkward charm and genuine kindness make him relatable. He treats Anna like a normal person, such as when he offers her "apricots soaked in honey" or invites her to his sister’s birthday party.
* **Actions that cause this:** His patient handling of a shoplifter (**Rufus**) and his willingness to pretend to be a journalist from *Horse & Hound* just to see Anna again are seen as endearing and brave in a low-stakes, relatable way.
* **The Caveat:** In recent years, even Hugh Grant has criticized his own character for having "no balls," specifically referencing the scene where the **paparazzi** arrive at his door and he fails to protect Anna, letting her face the cameras alone.
#### **2. Spike (Rhys Ifans)**
Spike is the "scene-stealer" and the eccentric heart of the film. Despite being messy and odd, the audience roots for him as the ultimate loyal friend.
* **Why we root for him:** He provides comic relief and is often the one to push William toward happiness.
* **Actions that cause this:** While he accidentally alerts the press to Anna’s presence, his genuine remorse and his final role as the "wingman" in the car chase to the Savoy Hotel solidify him as a lovable rogue.
#### **3. Max and Bella (Tim McInnerny and Gina McKee)**
This supporting couple is often cited as the "real" love story of the film.
* **Why we root for them:** They represent a grounded, resilient love. Bella is in a wheelchair, and Max is her constant, devoted support.
* **Actions that cause this:** Max’s habit of physically lifting Bella to ensure she’s never left behind (notably during the final race to find Anna) makes the audience deeply invested in their happiness.
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### **Characters the Audience Roots Against**
#### **1. Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) — The Polarizing Lead**
While the film intends for her to be the romantic lead, she is the character many modern audiences root *against* or find "insufferable."
* **Why we root against her:** She is often perceived as self-absorbed, manipulative, and emotionally inconsistent.
* **Actions that cause this:**
* **The Hidden Boyfriend:** She enters a romantic relationship with William without mentioning she has a boyfriend (**Jeff King**), leading to a scene where William is humiliated.
* **The Press Incident:** When the paparazzi find her at William's house, she flies into a rage, blaming William and Spike for "ruining her life" and showing zero empathy for William's feelings.
* **The "No One" Comment:** While on a film set, William overhears her via headphones dismissively telling a co-star that he is "just some guy" and "no one," which many viewers find needlessly cruel.
#### **2. Jeff King (Alec Baldwin)**
Jeff is the stereotypical Hollywood antagonist.
* **Why we root against him:** He represents the cold, arrogant industry that Anna claims to hate.
* **Actions that cause this:** His most infamous action is mistaking William for a room service waiter and ordering him around, showing a total lack of respect for "normal" people.
#### **3. The Paparazzi**
The press functions as the primary non-human antagonist of the film.
* **Why we root against them:** They are depicted as a swarm of invasive, faceless villains who thrive on ruining private moments.
* **Actions that cause this:** Their aggressive ambush of William’s home and their publication of private photos of Anna (which causes her to seek refuge with William) make them the ultimate obstacle to the couple’s peace.
#### **4. The "Rude Diners"**
In a notable restaurant scene, a group of loud, posh men talk crudely about Anna Scott’s appearance and career.
* **Why we root against them:** They represent the misogyny and public entitlement Anna faces daily.
* **The Result:** The audience roots for William when he confronts them, and even more so for Anna when she calmly "murders" them with a polite but devastating verbal takedown.